"Outrun" is a synonym of synthwave that was later used to refer more generally to retro 1980s aesthetics such as VHS tracking artifacts, magenta neon, and
gridlines.
[15] The term comes from the 1986
arcade racing game
Out Run, which is known for its soundtrack that could be selected in-game and its 1980s aesthetic.
[13][17] According to musician
Perturbator (James Kent), outrun is also its own subgenre, mainly instrumental, and often contains 1980s clichéd elements in the sound such as
electronic drums,
gated reverb, and
analog synthesizer bass lines and leads—all to resemble tracks from that time period.
[18] There is also a visual component on synthwave album covers and music videos. According to
PC Gamer, the essence of outrun visuals is "taking elements of a period of '80s excess millennials find irresistibly evocative, and modernizing them so they're just barely recognizable."
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